U.S. patent number 5,300,012 [Application Number 07/942,032] was granted by the patent office on 1994-04-05 for uncurling device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Takeshi Kamada.
United States Patent |
5,300,012 |
Kamada |
April 5, 1994 |
Uncurling device
Abstract
A device incorporated in a facsimile transceiver or similar
recording apparatus of the type using a roll of paper for removing
the curl of the paper. The device has a regular transport path, an
uncurl transport path, and a separator fixed in place at a position
where the two transport paths branch off. The separator steers the
paper to either of the two transport paths on the basis of the
height of a curl existing at the leading edge of the paper. The
separator has a generally triangular configuration which has an
apex at the center in the widthwise direction perpendicular to an
intended direction of paper transport and inclines from the apex
toward opposite ends. As a result, the paper is admitted into the
regular transport path or the uncurl transport path little by
little from part of the leading edge thereof.
Inventors: |
Kamada; Takeshi (Atsugi,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
16842447 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/942,032 |
Filed: |
September 8, 1992 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 6, 1991 [JP] |
|
|
3-226262 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
493/459; 162/271;
493/460 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
23/34 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
23/34 (20060101); B65H 023/34 () |
Field of
Search: |
;493/459,460,461
;162/271 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Terrell; William E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier
& Neustadt
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for uncurling paper comprising:
means defining transport paths consisting of means for defining a
first transport path and means defining a second transport
path;
said means defining a first transport path including uncurling
means located therealong;
a fixed separator for directing paper to one of said means for
defining a first transport path and said means for defining a
second transport path; and
a stacking tray disposed downstream of said means defining a first
transport path and said means defining a second transport path,
wherein said stacking tray receives paper from said means defining
a first transport path and said means defining a second transport
path only up to a maximum stack height, with the stack height
extending in a direction perpendicular to a stacking surface
against which a lowermost sheet of a stack is disposed, said means
defining a first transport path having a lower surface spaced from
said stacking surface by a distance "b" in said direction
perpendicular to said stacking surface, said fixed separator
defining a height "a" of an inlet of said second transport path,
and wherein "b" is selected to be equal to or greater than the sum
of "a" and the maximum stack height.
2. The device of claim 1, further including cutting means for
cutting paper from a continuous length of paper, said cutting means
located upstream of said means defining transport paths, the device
further including a support located downstream of said cutting
means and upstream of said means defining transport paths.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said support is inclined in a
direction of movement of the paper.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein said fixed separator includes a
triangular configuration.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein said triangular configuration of
said separator includes a first triangular portion having an apex
at a center location with respect to a widthwise direction
perpendicular to a paper transport direction, said separator
further including a pair of triangular portions adjacent said first
triangular portion.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein said separator includes a first
triangular portion disposed in a first plane extending parallel to
a transport direction, with an apex of said first triangular
portion located at a center with respect to a widthwise direction
perpendicular to said paper transport direction, said separator
further including a second triangular portion extending in a second
plane perpendicular to said first plane.
7. The device of claim 1, further including cutting means for
cutting paper from a continuous length into paper sheets of a
predetermined length, said device further including at least one
drive roller located along said means defining a first transport
path and upstream of said uncurling means, said at least one drive
roller spaced from said cutting means by an amount less than said
predetermined length.
8. A device for uncurling paper comprising:
means defining a first transport path including uncurling means
therealong;
means defining a second transport path for transporting paper
without uncurling said paper;
a fixed separator for directing paper to one of said first and
second transport paths;
said means defining a first transport path and said means defining
a second transport path including respective first and second
exits;
a stacking tray located immediately downstream of said first and
second exists; and
wherein said first and second exits are disposed adjacent to said
stacking tray such that paper is stacked upon said stacking tray as
it is discharged from said first and second exits, and further
wherein as paper is stacked upon a stacking surface of said tray a
stack increases in size in a first direction perpendicular to said
stacking surface, and said first exit is spaced from said stacking
surface in said first direction by an amount greater than a spacing
between said second exit and said stacking surface, whereby paper
is discharged from said first exit at a greater distance from said
stacking surface than paper discharged from said second exit.
9. The device of claim 8, further including cutting means for
cutting paper from a continuous length into paper sheets of a
predetermined length, said device further including at least one
drive roller located along said means defining a first transport
path and upstream of said uncurling means, said at least one drive
roller spaced from said cutting means by an amount less than said
predetermined length.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an uncurling device incorporated
in a facsimile transceiver or similar recording apparatus of the
type using a paper roll for removing curls of the paper and, more
particularly, to an uncurling device operable on the basis of the
height of a curl.
It is a common practice with a facsimile transceiver, printer or
similar recording apparatus to use a rolled paper. Since the rolled
paper curls in the rolling direction, an uncurling device for
removing the curl of the paper is incorporated in the recording
apparatus. Uncurling devices of the type curling a paper with a
curl in the opposite direction to the curl are disclosed in, for
example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 33882/1988,
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 88270/1990, 88271/1990,
and 88272/1990. The problem with this type of uncurling device is
that it uncurls a paper unconditionally with no regard to the
degree of a curl and, therefore, causes a paper with a small curl
to curl in the opposite direction.
In the light of the above, uncurling devices capable of uncurling a
paper by a variable amount matching the varying diameter of the
paper roll and the weight of the paper are taught in, for example,
Japanese Patent Publication No. 57019/1989, Japanese Patent
Laid-Open Publication Nos. 285556/1989 and 16969/1987, and Japanese
Utility Model Publication No. 119547/1986. However, since this type
of uncurling device changes the uncurling amount, the structure is
complicated and, since a movable uncurling section is essential,
the reliability is low. During the uncurling operation, the device
rubs the imaged surface of the paper to lower the image quality.
Moreover, even when the roll diameter is the same, the degree of a
curl depends on the paper property, print pattern, temperature and
so forth, making the uncurling amount excessive or short. This is
also apt to curl the paper in the opposite direction if the degree
of the curl is low. In addition, this type of uncurling device is
operable only with a paper in the form of a roll and not applicable
to documents and cut sheets.
The uncurling device may be so constructed as to determine the
degree of a curl of a paper and uncurl the paper in matching
relation to the curl, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open
Publication Nos. 124463/1986 and 48343/1981 by way of example. This
kind of uncurling device, however, needs a curl sensor for
determining the amount of a curl, and a movable separator for
changing the uncurling amount, resulting in a disproportionate
cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
simple and inexpensive uncurling device which determines the degree
of a curl by a fixed separator and removes only curls greater than
a predetermined degree.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an
uncurling device which has a regular transport path and an uncurl
transport path disposed above the regular transport path so as to
select either of them on the basis of the height of the leading
edge of a paper curled upward.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an
uncurling device which has a triangular fixed separator for guiding
a paper into either of a regular and an uncurl transport path
little by little from part of the leading edge of the paper,
thereby eliminating a jam at the position where the two transport
paths branch off.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an
uncurling device which facilitates the entry of a paper into an
uncurling section by a drive roller preceding the uncurling
section.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an
uncurling device capable of enhancing neat stacking of papers by
stacking an uncurled paper on a paper exit of a regular transport
path.
A device for uncurling a paper of the present invention comprises a
regular transport path for transporting the paper without
uncurling, an uncurl transport path for transporting the paper for
uncurling the paper, an uncurling section located on the uncurl
transport path, and a fixed separator for steering the paper to
either of the regular transport path and uncurl transport path on
the basis of the height of a curl existing at the leading edge of
the paper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description taken with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a facsimile transceiver to which an uncurling device
embodying the present invention is applied;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fixed separator included in the
embodiment;
FIGS. 3A-3C each shows another specific configuration of the
separator; and
FIG. 4 shows how a paper is apt to curl.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a recording
section and a transporting section forming part of a facsimile
transceiver to which an uncurling device embodying the present
invention is applied. A paper 11 is paid out from a roll
accommodated in a predetermined position. The recording section,
generally 12, has a feed roller 13 and a thermal head 14 which is
provided with a heating element 15 for thermally printing data on
the paper 11. A cutter 16 has a rotary edge 17, a stationary edge
18, and a guide 19. The rotary edge 17 is rotatable to cut the
paper 11 in a predetermined length.
The uncurling device, generally 20, has a regular transport path 22
formed by guides 21, and an uncurl transport path 23 defined above
the regular transport path 22 by guides 24. The uncurl transport
path 23 includes an uncurling section 25, and rollers 26 and 27 for
driving the paper 11 into the uncurling section 25. A separator 28
is fixed in place at a position where the two transport paths 22
and 23 branch off. As shown in FIG. 1, a support portion 33 is
provided downstream of the feed roller 13 and upstream of the
separator 28. The support 33 is slightly inclined in the direction
of movement of the paper. The separator 28 steers the paper 11 to
either of the transport paths 22 and 23, depending on the height of
a curl which exists at the leading edge of the paper 11.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the separator 28 has a generally
triangular configuration which has an apex at the center in the
widthwise direction perpendicular to the direction of paper
transport and inclines from the apex toward opposite ends. With
such a configuration, the separator 28 causes the paper 11 to
sequentially enter either of the transport paths 22 and 23.
As stated above, the illustrative embodiment determines whether or
not the paper 11 should be uncurled on the basis of the height of a
curl by the separator 28 and uncurls the paper 11 only if the curl
is higher than a predetermined height. This eliminates the need for
a curl sensor and a movable separator which are expensive, thereby
reducing the cost of the uncurling device.
Further, the embodiment directly determines the degree of a curl by
use of the fixed separator 28 having a simple configuration.
Therefore, the uncurling operation is free from the influence of
roll diameter, paper property, print pattern, temperature and so
forth and, hence, accurate. It follows that the embodiment is also
applicable to the uncurling of cut sheets.
It is to be noted that the embodiment is capable of determining the
degree of a curl with accuracy if the curled surface faces upward.
When the curled surface faces downward, the height of a curl
changes due to the weight and elasticity of paper and, therefore,
cannot be accurately determined. The embodiment performs an
accurate uncurling operation by selecting either of the transport
paths 22 and 23 on the basis of the height of a curl.
The papers 11 cut and come out of the regular transport path 22 or
the uncurl transport path 23 are sequentially stacked on a stacker
29. Assume that the paper 11 to be admitted into the regular
transport path by the separator 28 has a curl having a height a at
the leading edge thereof, and that the difference in level between
the uncurl transport path 23 and the stacker 29 is b. Then, the
difference in level b is selected to be greater than the sum of the
height a and the thickness of the maximum number of papers that can
be stacked on the stacker 29. Specifically, an uncurled paper is
stacked on a paper exiting from the regular transport path 22 and
existing on the stacker 29. This enhances neat stacking since, for
example, a paper driven out of the regular transport path 22 and
slightly curled is pressed from above by an uncurled paper and,
therefore, laid flat on the stacker 29.
In operation, the heating element 15 intervening between the
thermal head 14 and the feed roller 13 prints one line of data on
the paper 11 at a time. The cutter 16 cuts the paper 11 in a
predetermined length with the rotary edge 17 and stationary edge
18. The cut paper 11 is transported to the uncurling device 20. If
the curl at the leading edge of the paper 11 is lower than the
height a, it is steered in a direction B and discharged to the
stacker 29 via the regular transport path 22. Assume that the roll
diameter is reduced to such an extent that the height of the curl
exceeds the height a. Then, the paper 11 is steered in a direction
A by the separator 28 to enter the uncurling section 25. In the
uncurling section 25, the paper 11 is passed through between an
inner guide roller and an outer guide to be thereby uncurled. The
uncurled paper 11 is discharged to the stacker 29.
The transport of the paper 11 in the direction A or B via the
separator 28 is effected by the feed roller 13 of the recording
section 12, i.e., such transport cannot be done once the paper 11
is cut by the cutter 16. For this reason, the minimum recording
length (cutting length) is selected to be greater than the distance
between the drive roller 26 located on the uncurl transport path 23
and the feed roller 13, thereby implementing the transport along
the path 23 after cutting. On the other hand, the cut paper 11 on
the regular transport path 22 drops onto the stacker 29 due to
gravity. The drive roller 26 precedes the uncurling section 25 in
order to drive the paper 11 into the section 25 while giving
elasticity thereto. This is successful in insuring a transporting
force overcoming a resistance ascribable to the uncurling
operation. Specifically, since the uncurling section 25 uncurls the
paper 11 by curling it in the opposite direction, it exerts a
resistance to the transport of the paper 11. When the paper 11 is
soft, the force of the feed roller 13 may be too weak to prevent a
jam. The embodiment enhances reliable transport in the uncurling
section 25 by the drive roller 26. Furthermore, while the paper 11
is moved in the uncurling section 25, the inner guide roller
rotates and does not rub the imaged surface of the paper 11,
insuring desirable image quality.
As shown in FIG. 4, it is likely that the paper 11 has a curl which
is small at the center 11a and maximum at four corners 11b.
However, the embodiment is free from a jam since the triangular
separator 28 selects either of the directions A and B at the center
thereof and, then, the paper 11 is transported along the slants of
the separator 28.
FIGS. 3A-3C each shows another specific configuration of the
separator 28. In FIG. 3A, the separator is provided with a
configuration derived from the fact that the curl of the paper 11
is maximum at four corners thereof. The separator of FIG. 3A is not
as reliable as the separator 28 of the previous embodiment. In FIG.
3B, the separator is provided with inclinations in the up-and-down
direction in addition to the inclinations in the widthwise
direction. Specifically, in FIG. 3B, the separator has inclined
guides 31 and 32 on opposite major surfaces thereof so as to
sequentially guide the paper 11 upward or downward. The separator
with such a configuration is superior to the separator 28 of the
previous embodiment in respect of reliability. Further, the
separator shown in FIG. 3C is the combination of the configurations
of FIGS. 3A and 3B and is miniature.
As stated above, in the illustrative embodiment, the separator 28
selects either of the transport paths 22 and 23 at the center or
corners thereof and thereafter sequentially orients the leading
edge in the initial direction, thereby promoting reliable paper
transport. Should the leading edge of the paper be wavey and abut
against the separator over the entire width, it would tend to
advance partly in the direction A and partly in the direction B and
jam the path.
In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides an
uncurling device which uncurls a paper only when the curl of the
paper is greater than predetermined one. The uncurling device does
not need a curl sensor or a movable separator, which is expensive,
and is therefore inexpensive. Since the degree of the curl is
directly determined by a simple fixed separator, the uncurling
operation is free from the influence of roll diameter, paper
property, print pattern, temperature and so forth. The curling
device is therefore similarly applicable to the uncurling of cut
sheets. The curling device selects a particular transport path with
accuracy on the basis of the height of the curl, thereby insuring
an accurate uncurling procedure. Since the separator causes the
paper to enter a particular transport path little by little from
part of the leading edge thereof, a jam is prevented at the inlet
of the path even when the leading edge of the paper is wavey. The
paper is transported reliably by a force overcoming a resistance
ascribable to the uncurling operation. Furthermore, slightly curled
papers cut and driven out of a regular transport path, as
distinguished from an uncurl transport path, are pressed from above
by uncurled papers and, therefore, laid flat on a stacker,
enhancing neat stacking.
Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the
art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without
departing from the scope thereof.
* * * * *